Bulldogs slip in all-sports standings

A less-than-par winter season caused Baldwin High School to drop a spot in the mythical Frontier League all-sports standings.

After a fall season that brought home two league cross country titles and a runner-up finish in football, the Bulldogs dropped a notch in the standings. They fell from second to a third-place tie with rival Eudora.

Gardner-Edgerton clearly sits in the lead with 49 points. Paola jumped to second place with 36, while Baldwin and Eudora are tied at 33 points.

“We’re still hanging in there,” BHS wrestling coach Kit Harris said. “We’re trying to show strong in every sport. We’re within reach of second place. Hopefully, we’ll have a good spring and get back up to second.”

The BHS wrestling squad led the Bulldogs in the winter. The wrestlers tied for fourth at the league tournament with Spring Hill. BHS might have placed higher, as the points were close, if they were at full strength.

Illness hit the Bulldogs’ roster that week and forced three wrestlers out of action at the league tournament. Two others had to default out after winning a match because of injury.

“By the end of the year, we were set to have a good finish to the year,” Harris said. “Sickness hit our team that week. I think we could have won league, if we were full strength.”

Both BHS basketball teams finished near the bottom of the league standings. The girls’ squad placed sixth, while the boys tied Louisburg for seventh in the eight-team league.

“I’d say overall, the winter season went pretty good,” junior Camdon Schwartz said. “I think wrestling had the best season overall. The basketball teams did OK, but it would have been nice to beat a few more league teams than we did.”

BHS students enjoy following the mythical standings each year. Baldwin has finished in the top three in the standings during the past five years.

“It’s great to know that Baldwin is near the top of the league,” senior Logan Schiller said. “It shows how competitive all the different teams are and gives us pride to play for the school. I’m excited, because I think with the talent that our spring sports have, we will move up in the list and compete for the first place award.”

Schwartz is also hoping the Bulldogs move up, at least to second place, with the spring sports.

“I think we can catch up, because I know our track teams are going to be really good this year,” he said. “We have lots of good runners and athletes in the field events. Our softball and baseball teams are always pretty strong.”

The all-sports standings are compiled by the BHS journalism staff each year. Harris and his students have been keeping track of the standings for several years.

“We originally did it to show overall athletic success,” Harris said. “I think Baldwin has always had good athletic success, because of good coaches, kids and community support. It shows how we are solid every year. It’s been a lot of fun each year trying o finish high as a school.”